Packaging & Shipping Responsibilities

Tracking and Delivery

Once an artwork has been handed off to a carrier (picked up or dropped off at a service station) tracking will begin. Each artist will retain the shipping forms used for their package within their LIVART Sales Dashboard and therefore will have a record of the tracking number assigned to their delivery.

Transit times vary depending on the destination where the package will be delivered, but average 3 - 5 days generally. If Customs processing is required, the average time in customs is 72 hours.

If your package fails to deliver to your client during its first attempt LIVART WILL be notified. Two subsequent attempts will be made without any action taken, however LIVART will contact your client to ensure they are aware of the first attempt and to ensure the subsequent attempts are successful.

How To Track your Package

All shipping forms provided to artists will be branded by the carrier assigned to the order. Saatchi Art uses the following carriers:

DHL
FedEx
UPS
BTX Global Logistics

Step 1 - Login to your LIVART profile and proceed to your Sales Dashboard to download and open your shipping forms. Locate the Tracking Number (or Waybill Number) found on your forms and the name of the carrier. Each shipping form is branded by the carrier assigned to the service.

Step 2 - Copy the tracking number from your shipping forms and proceed to the carrier website to check the status of your shipment.

Note: LIVART is aware of all tracking statuses and our shipping team actively monitors the transit of each shipment sent through our service.

You are welcome to contact a Support Specialist with any questions you may have about any details seen when tracking your shipment.

Adjusting Your Handoff

In the first email that you receive during a sale you will be asked to select the shipment date for your packaged artwork.

Once you begin your packaging process, and any other details such as export forms (when applicable) you may find that you need more time before your package is ready to ship or the location where your packaged artwork will be picked up may need to change.

With the tools we provide all artists will be able to adjust their expected handoff date through their accounts’ Sales Dashboard. Keep in mind also that, once an artist adjusts their hand off date LIVART will be notified of the change AND inform your client of the updated timeline for the arrival of their new artwork.

Read below to review the steps to follow when adjusting your hand off date

Step 1 – Visit the Artist Sales Dashboard located in the Artist Studio

Step 2 - From your Sales Dashboard you will see all outstanding and on-going transactions with the most recent at the top of the list. Identify the artwork among the listed and click the blue button, “Manage Shipment” just below.

Step 3 - Once you’ve clicked the “Manage Shipment” option you will see a screen summarizing the shipping arrangements and the option to edit the details. Click the “Edit” button to begin making changes.

Step 4 - From the edit screen you will have the ability to adjust the handoff method (pickup or drop-off), adjust the pickup location or adjust the date the handoff will take place.

Step 5 - Once you have made all the adjustments necessary scroll down to click the “submit” button to save your changes.

Note: Once you have submitted your adjustments we will immediately email your client to inform them of the adjustments. If you have any questions or should the buyer voice any feedback we would be in touch with you right away to let you know.

Scheduling Your Handoff

How to Schedule Shipping for Your Artwork

Once you’ve made a sale, you will receive an email that will announce the sale and you will be provided information about next steps.

The first action for you to take will be to schedule a date when you expect the work to be packaged and ready to be picked up OR dropped off (your decision!) for shipment. Hand off should usually take place 2-3 days after the collector has purchased the work. It is very important that you schedule a handoff date immediately.

Note: This first email we send means the buyer has already paid in full and will be looking for the next update, from you on when the work will be on its way. -- if you do not respond within 24 hours, expect to receive an email and phone call from our Support Team

Step 1 - Click the link provided within your Sales Notification (in the Artist Sales Dashboard or in email). You will be taken to the handoff confirmation page.

You will first be asked to confirm that the artwork sold is in fact available. You will confirm the artwork by clicking, “Yes, this artwork is available” from the options provided.

OR, if you select, “No, this artwork is not available” you will be asked to give a reason why in a subsequent page. A Support Specialist may contact you for additional details.

Step 2 - If your artwork is confirmed available you will next be asked to confirm your preferred method of hand off. Handing off your package to a carrier can be performed by pick up by a carrier OR by dropping off your package at a carrier service center. There is NO charge for either method of hand off you select.

If you select Pickup

Pickups take place Monday - Friday between the hours of 10am - 5pm local time. You do not personally need to be available for the pickup to be performed BUT we do NOT recommend you leave your package unattended. Someone should be present to hand the package off.

LIVART cannot take responsibility for any stolen or damaged artworks if they are left unattended on a porch or doorstep.

Select a date from the available calendar of when you would like your artwork to be picked up. Be sure to check your calendar and to be aware of local holidays which may impact service in your area.

If you select Drop-off

Dropping your package off is a great way to complete the hand off of your package and to begin the shipping process. When selecting drop-off as your preferred method of hand off you will be required to select a date when you feel the hand off can be performed by.

It will be up to each individual artist to locate the nearest shipping center that corresponds to the shipping label when deciding to drop a package off. Doing a quick web search should identify all local options easily.

Step 3 - Now that you have selected your hand off method and date of hand off, you will next be asked to confirm your address. The address you select is required regardless of the method of handoff you select.

Select the address where you are currently and if your artwork is to be picked up this will be the location where a carrier will be sent.

IF you are dropping your artwork off for shipment this address will be used in the event your artwork were to be returned by the carrier unexpectedly (unlikely) or used should the client request a return (also rare). Remember this is required information for ALL shipments.

Step 4 - Click submit once all address information has been entered.

You are done! Your hand off has been arranged and you are now ready to begin the process of packaging your artwork in preparation for the date you selected hand off to take place.

Note: Once you have selected your hand off date we will automatically update your client on what to expect. If you encounter any unexpected delays due to production, schedule conflicts or unplanned delays in the packing process there will be an option to adjust your current shipping arrangements.

To update existing hand off arrangements please refer to the article titled, ‘ADJUSTING YOUR HANDOFF’

Shipping Insurance

LIVART insures all shipments for the amount of the artists’ commission for the sold work. For example, if a work is sold for $1,000 (excluding shipping), the artist is entitled to $600 of that sale (i.e. 60% of the total sale amount). If the artwork is damaged during shipping even though the artist properly packaged the work according to our guidelines, Saatchi Art will still pay the $600 owed to that artist.

In the event that an artwork were to become damaged, LIVART is responsible for pursuit of resolution with the carrier as the facilitator of the shipping arrangements and will contact carriers directly on behalf of the artist and collector.

Only artworks packaged following the steps and materials outlined in LIVART packaging guidelines will be eligible to be covered by shipping insurance.

Damaged Art: Should an artwork arrive damaged due to poor packaging procedures, we will deem the shipment non-insurable and Saatchi Art will hold the artist responsible for the damages. We will work with the buyer to have the artwork shipped back for a full refund.*

We’ll ask that artists send us photographs of the packed artwork before shipping to help us determine whether or not the packaging is adequate.

To avoid shipping damage, please download and carefully read our attached complete Packaging Guidelines (which also includes information on the common causes of artwork damage, the proper packing materials, links to additional resources, and more.)

IMPORTANT: It is highly recommended that all artists document the packing process with photographs of each step as they prepare for shipment.

*Neither LIVART nor the buyer returning the artwork will be held responsible for the condition of the artwork should the packing material not withstand the return shipment. Clients are only responsible for reusing the materials provided by the artist when packing the artwork for initial shipment. In the cases where the artwork has been severely damaged due to packaging neglect, often carriers will not be willing to transport the damaged goods back to their origin. Saatchi Art holds the right to discard the damaged artwork(s) in those extremely rare cases. It’s incredibly important to comply with our Packaging Guidelines to avoid this type of scenario by all means. We appreciate your cooperation with our Packaging Guidelines.

Packaging Your Artwork

Packaging Your Artworks for Shipping

Whether you’ve sold a small artwork on paper, or a 6-foot sculpture, please review our packaging guidelines booklet. You can find this directly attached to this article.

It’s important to remember that our shipping insurance policy is only honored if you have packaged your artwork according to our guidelines. In the unfortunate event that your artwork is delivered with damage, any deviation from our guidelines will result in your sale not being honored. It's incredibly important to package precisely according to our guidelines.

Paintings

Below are instructions for how to package:

Paintings smaller than 48"x48"
Paintings larger than 48"x48"
Framed paintings
Rolled canvas paintings

Please follow the instructions appropriate for your work. For complete instructions, download our complete Packaging Guidelines (which also includes information on the common causes of artwork damage, the proper packing materials, links to additional resources, and more) located at the bottom of this article.

All artworks that are 48 inches or above on any one side need to be packaged into a wood crate. If your artwork has any one side or element that is larger than 48 inches a wooden crate will be required regardless of what material was used to make your artwork.

IMPORTANT: Always make certain that your painting is completely dry before packaging it for shipment. Sometimes paint can appear dry when it’s not. Since drying time depends on such factors as the type and brand of paint, the drying mediums used (if any), the paint colors, etc., you must research the correct drying time for the specific supplies you’ve used. Our insurance will NOT cover damage to paintings as a result of shipping before the paint was completely dry.

Paintings Smaller Than 48”x 48”

What you’ll need:

Glassine paper or acid-free archival tissue paper
Plastic sheeting, poly wrap, or heavy plastic bag
Bubble wrap
Foam board at least ½” thick or two-ply cardboard
Packing tape
Cardboard corner protectors
Cardboard box

Step 1 – Wrap the painting in glassine paper or acid-free, archival tissue paper. Note that any material that comes into contact with the surface of the work should be archival quality. We advise that you avoid touching the painting’s surface with bare hands by wearing white cotton gloves or placing acid-free tissue paper between the work and your fingers when handling.

Step 2 –Take four (4) 8”x 8” square pieces of glassine paper or acid-free tissue paper (you may adjust the size of the squares to better fit the size of your work) and fold each in half diagonally to create a triangle, then fold in half again to create a triangle pocket. Place one pocket onto each corner of the painting.

Step 3 – Taping only onto the tissue paper corners, tape the wrapped painting to a sheet of foam board (or two-ply cardboard) the same size or slightly larger than the painting for a firm backing.

Step 4 – To protect against moisture, wrap the glassine-covered artwork with plastic sheeting/poly wrap or put it inside a heavy plastic bag. Use tape to seal all areas where water can enter and cause damage.

Step 5 – Wrap the entire work with two (2) layers of bubble wrap for a protective padding. Wrap it as you would a gift, using tape to secure it shut.

Step 6 – Place cardboard corner protectors on the corners of the wrapped artwork.

Step 7 – Place the wrapped artwork between 2 pieces of foam board that are at least ½” thickness (or two-ply cardboard), forming a “sandwich.” Also, the borders of the foam board sheets should extend 2-3 inches beyond all edges of the bubble-wrapped artwork. Use packing tape to bind the foam board sandwich together. Be certain the sides are taped down firmly to ensure that the artwork doesn’t shift around within. IMPORTANT: Take care not to apply too much pressure to the surface of your artwork. Doing so could create indentations on the stretched canvas.

Step 8 – Place the foam board-covered painting into a cardboard box with approximately three (3) inches of space on all sides. Fill the empty space with enough bubble wrap or wadded/shredded white paper to ensure that the artwork doesn’t shift during transit.

Step 9 – Use the H-taping method to seal the box. The H-taping method involves using long strips of packing tape to completely seal the opening flaps of the box. Use one long strip of tape over the horizontal opening between the two flaps, and two strips over the vertical sides of the flaps—forming an “H.” Apply additional vertical strips of tape as needed across the sealed flaps for added reinforcement. Illustrations of this method are provided by different sources online. Just type “H-taping method” into the Google search box.

Step 10 – Affix the shipping label to the package and put clear tape over the label so it doesn’t get removed during shipment. Using a felt tip pen, write “FRAGILE” in large capital letters on the box, or use ready-made “FRAGILE” labels.

Paintings Larger Than 48”x48”

All artworks that are 48 inches or above on any one side need to be packaged into a wood crate.

Note that in addition to these instructions, you’ll also be asked to refer to the instructions for crates.

What you’ll need:

Glassine paper or acid-free archival tissue paper
Plastic sheeting, poly wrap, or plastic bag
Bubble wrap
Foam board at least ½” thick or two-ply cardboard
Packing tape
Cardboard corner protectors
Custom-made wooden crate (See: Crates)

Step 1 – Wrap the painting in glassine paper or acid-free archival tissue paper. Note that any material that comes into contact with the surface of the work should be archival quality. We advise that you avoid touching the painting’s surface with bare hands by wearing white cotton gloves or placing acid-free tissue paper between the work and your fingers when handling.

Step 5 – Wrap the entire work with at least three (3) layers of bubble wrap for a protective padding. Use more if you believe your painting requires more protection (e.g. it has a raised surface). Wrap it as you would a gift, using tape to secure it shut.

Step 6 – Next, build a wooden crate and seal the work inside. To do so, follow all the steps given in the section, Crates.

Framed Paintings

What you’ll need:

Glassine paper or acid-free archival tissue paper
Plastic sheeting or poly wrap
Bubble wrap
Painters tape (if packing a glass frame)
Cardboard corner protectors
Packing tape
Foam board at least ½” thick
Shredded or wadded white paper
Very sturdy cardboard box if framed artwork is under 18”x24"

Custom wooden crate if framed artwork is larger than 18”x24”

Step 1 – Use a sturdy cardboard box or build a custom crate that will fit the framed painting plus approximately three (3) inches of space on all sides. (This extra space will accommodate the layers of bubble wrap to be added.)

Step 2 – If the frame has a protective glass or acrylic pane, remove it from the frame. If it does not, skip to step 4. Apply two pieces of painters tape diagonally across the glass/acrylic pane to form a large “X”. Should the glass break during shipment, the tape will help keep the broken pieces together.

Step 3 – Sandwich the glass/acrylic pane between two sheets of foam board approximately 2 inches larger than the glass on all sides. Firmly seal the foam board sandwich all around with packing tape, making sure that the glass/acrylic panel does not shift around within.

Step 4 – Wrap the painting in acid-free, archival tissue paper or glassine. Note that any material that will come into contact with the surface of the painted work should be archival quality.

Step 5 – To protect against moisture, wrap the artwork with plastic sheeting or poly wrap

Step 6 – Add cardboard corner protectors to the corners of the wrapped work. You can buy corner protectors ready made, or you can construct them yourself. Several online resources offer instructions on how to make them.

Step 7 – Wrap the framed painting in three (3) layers of bubble wrap, using packing tape to secure it.

If your framed painting is larger than 18”x24”, you’ll need to build a wooden crate and seal the work inside. Please follow the steps within the section, Crates.

If your framed painting is under 18”x24”, proceed to Step 8 below.

Step 8 – Sandwich the wrapped painting within two sheets of foam board and tape all the way around to secure it.

Step 9 – Place it inside a sturdy cardboard box. To minimize movement within the box, thoroughly fill any empty areas around the artwork with shredded paper. The more snug the fit, the less the potential for damage. Seal the box thoroughly with packing tape, reinforcing the corners.

Rolled Canvas Paintings

Paintings on canvas up to 72”x72” may be taken off its stretchers, rolled, and shipped in a heavy duty mailing tube between 8” and 12” diameter, depending on the size of the canvas. Make absolutely certain that your painting is completely dry before attempting to roll it.

What you’ll need:

Glassine paper or acid-free archival tissue paper
Heavy duty mailing tube with plastic end caps no smaller than 8” in diameter and up to 12” (depending on the size of your canvas).
A second tube of smaller diameter for inner support. (You’ll roll your artwork around this tube and insert it inside the larger tube.)
Packing tape
Bubble wrap

Step 1 – Sandwich your canvas between two layers of acid free archival paper. Make sure that the canvas is completely covered by the paper.

Step 2 – Roll the paper-covered artwork—paint side outward—around the smaller tube to provide inner support.DO NOT roll too tightly as this can damage the painting!

Step 3 – Next, roll a layer of bubble wrap around the artwork for padding and to seal out moisture. Seal completely with tape. Remember to only wrap the bubble-wrap with the flat side against the artwork.

Step 4 – Place this tube within the outer mailing tube. Fill extra space at the ends with extra bubble wrap, but take care not to crush the edges of your painting. Place the end caps on and seal them shut with packing tape.

Step 5 – Affix the shipping label to the package and put clear tape over the label so it doesn’t get removed during shipment. Clearly mark the tube as “FRAGILE.”

Flat Artworks; Drawings, Photography, Collage

Below are instructions for how to package:

Flat artworks under 48"x48"
Flat artworks larger than 48"x48"
Framed flat artwork
Rolled paper artwork

Export Process

Exporting artwork overseas

In some cases an artist’s location may require approval and documentation, in addition to what LIVART provides, to allow your artwork to travel outside of the country of origin and pass through Customs with ease.

If your country requires additional steps/documentation LIVART will immediately email you to let you know how to proceed. Additionally, your collectors will be made aware of any additional processing time and that this added time is not the fault of the artist.

Typically, the approval an artist is seeking is given from a cultural institution who certifies that, if you are a living working artist, the artwork sold was created within the last 50-100 years and that the artwork you are shipping is NOT culturally protected by the state and therefore illegible from leaving your country.

In many cases most steps can be performed online, but in some cases an in person visit or phone calls may be required.

Costs vary and are typically very manageable. These costs are the responsibility of artists and should be included in the cost of your artwork pricing.

List of countries with known additional export requirements:

Argentina
Armenia
Brazil
Bolivia
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Germany
Greece
India
Italy
Mexico
Montenegro
Poland
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Spain
Slovakia
Ukraine
UK
Venezuela

NOTE: Export requirements often change and change rapidly. Typically, LIVART will be notified of new adjustments at the time your artwork reaches Customs and if there is a hold. In some cases the carrier will contact the artist directly with export information. In these situations, the artist shipping artwork should contact Saatchi Art Support as soon as possible to make us aware and to allow us to research and verify the requirement is applicable to their sale.

Cost of Shipping

Shipping to your customers

Your customer is responsible for the cost of shipping your artwork and LIVART will be responsible for making all necessary arrangements. That being said, all overhead costs including time or production will be the responsibility of the artist and should be compensated for based on the sale price selected by the seller at the time of upload.

Artists are responsible for the cost of packaging artworks according to our guidelines and in accordance with the artwork type and method of packing to which it relates.

Additionally, in some cases, for artists who ship from a location outside of the United States, you may also be responsible for the cost of preparing additional export paperwork that LIVART is not able to provide. For more information about export, refer to the next article in this section.

Remember your packaging must comply with our thorough Packaging Guidelines so it's best to overestimate the cost of packaging materials and to include this amount during your upload and pricing of your artwork. We want you to still make a healthy profit upon completion of your sale!

Certificate of Authenticity

When you're preparing your artwork for shipping, you must include a Certificate of Authenticity inside the package to be sent to the collector who has purchased the work. This is a standard gallery practice and in most cases a very important accompanying document that the collector is expecting to receive.

You'll be provided with our template, which you're welcome to use if you are not familiar with how to create your own. The template can be found along with your shipping documents located inside your Sales Dashboard. We've also included the template attached to the bottom of this article for you to download and save to your computer, if you wish.

You may also create and use your own Certificate of Authenticity using our template that is attached to this article or by following the steps below.

CREATE A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

Step 1 – Create a document that includes the following information about the artwork:

1. Name of artwork

2. Medium

3. Dimensions of artwork

4. Limited Edition # of # (if this applies to your work),

5. The DATE/MONTH or YEAR the artwork was created on Saatchi Art

6. The Date or Year the artwork was purchased (refer to the first email sent to you by LIVART)

7. IF able provide an image of the artwork on the Certificate of Authenticity

Step 2 - Print your document to include within your artwork shipment.

Selecting a high quality paper is always appreciated and can add a touch of professionalism and aire of formality.

Step 3 - Apply a hand signature and date.

Signing the Certificate of Authenticity by hand is required and provides further authentication that only the artist themself can provide.

NOTE: This document is a must have during all shipments. If the document is not included with your shipment LIVART Support Specialist will contact you to ask that you send the document to your client via local postal service.

CoA for Open Edition Print Sales

Sit back and relax! LIVART is busy printing and shipping it directly to your customer and a Certificate of Authenticity is not required during the sale of prints that we produce on your behalf.

Packaging + Shipping

WHEN YOU'VE MADE A SALE...

1. You’ll receive an email informing you of the sale. You’ll also receive information regarding the next steps you’ll need to take in order for us to successfully deliver the artwork to the collector. These steps include:

Scheduling a date and time for our courier to pick up your sold artwork. (Courier pick up should occur within 2 - 3 days of when the collector purchased the work.)
Writing us back to acknowledge that you've read and understand the Saatchi Art Packaging Guidelines (PDF attached to this article, see below) to ensure that you know how to properly package your artwork for shipment

NOTE: It’s very important that you immediately schedule a courier pick up date and time after being notified that your artwork has sold.

2. If 48 hours pass and you haven't scheduled a pick up date, you'll receive a phone call and email from our Artist Support Team.

3. Within two days before your pickup date, you’ll receive an email from us to inform you that your shipping documents are now available to print from your Sales Dashboard. Be on the look out for our emails, in some cases, you may receive your shipping label via email from our Artist Support Team.

4. A courier service will arrive on the date you requested to collect your package and the shipping documents. Please make sure to hand all labels and shipping documents over to the courier.

Additional information regarding artwork packaging, pick up, and delivery:

All original artworks are shipped to the collector directly from the artist's location.
Shipping costs are paid for by the collector at the time the artwork is purchased.
You, the artist, will be responsible for packaging your artwork for shipment, as well as for all packaging costs.
You must include a Certificate of Authenticity inside the package with your artwork. LIVART will provide you the template to use. Continue reading below for more information on that.

5. Next, your artwork will be picked up and delivered to the collector. Please note that the transit time can vary depending on the location of your customer. You'll see your shipment's tracking number on the label that is provided to you. You can follow along using that tracking number on the carrier's website directly (i.e. FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.)

It's important to note that if shipping internationally, there may be custom delays. This is not unusual and should not cause you any panic. Our trusted Artist and Customer Support Team is monitoring the progress of your artwork until it reaches it's safe delivery to your customer. We'll be updating your customer all along the way.

6. Between 14-19 days from the date of delivery to your customer, your payout will be available. We'll send you an email notification to let you know that your funds are ready for payout. To access payout, please log into your LIVART account and go to your Sales Dashboard in Studio.

For detailed instruction on how to request payment, please visit our Payments section.

Certificate of Authenticity

When you're preparing your artwork for shipping, you must include a Certificate of Authenticity inside the package to be sent to the collector who has purchased the work.